small town

I Wish I Knew Then

Like a cold glass of sweet tea on a warm summer’s day, I Wish I Knew Then is a refreshing and very southern treat.

Riley and Louise had a whirlwind summer relationship when they were 18, only for Riley to unceremoniously dump Lu at the end of summer. It’s ten years later and the two run into each other at their respective best friend’s wedding, and Riley decides not to let Lu get away this time. 

Riley was a man determined, he sacrificed for love once before and wouldn’t make that mistake again. Louise is fresh off a long term relationship and not so sure she’s ready to start something new, especially with the man who broke her heart ten years before. 

It’s a very sexy story, full of exploration and rekindled feelings, but it’s also a warm and cozy story about a small touristy southern town and the wedding the two were brought together for. It’s also brimming with food descriptions that had my mouth watering as is common with any Jessica Peterson. Oh, and butt stuff. 

It’s a fairly low angst story, just a sweet second story with a lot of spice. I enjoyed it a lot! 

Glimmers of You

I really enjoyed this fake dating small town romance! 

This is book three in the Lost & Found series which brings us Grae, the youngest Hartley sibling, and Caden, her brother’s best friend who offers to fake date her in order to protect her from an ex who won’t leave her alone. In exchange, having a girlfriend will make him look more reliable to his company and get his dad off his back.

Caden has rubbed Grae the wrong way ever since she received her type 1 diabetes diagnosis as a teen and he basically disappeared on her but she needs her ex to stop bothering her so she puts her annoyance aside, at least in public.

Caden is a bit broody, his family sucks and he lost his sister years ago to cancer and never really recovered. Grae is tired of everyone treating her like she’s made of glass due to her diagnosis, and just wants to prove she’s a capable adult. The two had obvious chemistry and while brother’s best friend will never be my favorite trope, it didn’t bother me here. 

It’s a Catherine Cowles book so of course there is suspense and danger and I loved that it kept me guessing. Overall a great addition to the series and I’m so freaking excited for the next book!

Melanie Harlow

Melanie Harlow is one of the authors that got me into indie romance and I can honestly say I wouldn’t be the romance reader I am today without her books. I bought Frenched in March 2016 and never looked back. Her books strike the perfect balance of humor, heart, and heat for me. They’re exactly what I want in contemporary romance.

The steam is impeccable and plentiful, but there are also more emotional and romantic elements, alongside banter that makes me laugh every single time. The majority of the stories take place in Michigan and I love a Midwest setting.

And as of writing this, they are all in Kindle Unlimited!

Her books can really be read in any order, though I would recommend reading the individual series in release order (then again I recommend this for all series 😉).

🍷If you’re looking for small town, family oriented romance with lots of heart, start with Cloverleigh Farms.

🚜If you’re looking for a little more emotion, start with the After We Fall series.

⚾️If you’re looking for more lighthearted romcoms, start with Bellamy Creek.

If you want the full experience, which is not at all necessary to enjoy her books but will help you get every cameo and easter egg, go chronological release order.

Resisting the Grump

This one has been on my TBR since I saw this gorgeous cover last year! I finally made time to read it and I’m glad I did. 

It’s a small town, age gap romance between Rae, who returns home after college to help at her parent’s business, and Davis, the town recluse who Rae had a huge crush on as a teen but who barely knew she existed then. 

It’s a little messy and a little angsty. They both make a lot of mistakes and they’re both kind of mean to each other at times, and I was here for that! 

For my steam loving friends, I would say this book is pretty darn spicy and had me blushing at times.. 

I saw a lot of mixed reviews for reasons that I can’t explain without spoilers but I enjoyed it and apparently don’t have the same set of standards as those people. I’ve been slumpy recently and I was still able to read this all in one sitting because I wanted to know how it would play out.

If you are looking for a spicy, dramatic,  small town romance this one is in KU!